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Boston Dynamics and five other tech firms pledge not to weaponize their robots

10 points by sizzle 4y ago

timonoko 4y ago
Albeit that would be the way to end all wars. As humans cannot fight against superior robots. So all wars will become drone wars. And eventually all parties realize why waste time to build real robots, we can do it in CS:GO.
ddingus 4y ago
This feels like a very significant, early time. Most of our future with robots is yet to come. The concern over weaponized robotics is as valid as it is growing in light of very rapid tech advancement. In our time right now, the line between lower tech many of us call machines and robots is increasingly unclear. Eg: When is a drone a robot? This move may be looked back upon as an early expression of what will become a profound divide among people.
natch 4y ago
Had to check for weasel words. (Not that it matters because companies can always change things.) Didn’t take long to spot the loophole: >The firms pledged not to weaponize their "advanced-mobility general-purpose robots" So, this only applies to general-purpose robots. Not to mention that they are just saying they won’t do the weaponization themselves (let third parties and customers do it)… unless it’s a specific-purpose robot, then they are free to do it themselves. Really, who falls for this stuff?
- chasd00 4y ago
  Wouldn’t an armed robot by default not be “general purpose”?
- 22c 4y ago
  Not to mention there doesn't seem to be a lot stopping these robots from being customised by the purchaser. I don't think there would be much in the way of a military contractor getting their hands on these and strapping a glock to it. eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rliFQ0qyAM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rliFQ0qyAM but with a much higher budget and not just for fun.
rapjr9 4y ago
The US and other militaries have been trying out autonomous killer robots for a decade or more. Some types of missiles, once launched, are completely autonomous and will choose a target. Do a search on "loyal wingman", these are unmanned drones that fly alongside a jet fighter and can be tasked to do things, in some cases autonomously. Anybody can buy a Boston Dynamics robot and retrofit it with weapons. It's good they are making a statement, but a lot more is needed if we really want to stop autonomous weaponized robots because they are already here.
tzm 4y ago
Meanwhile in China: https://twitter.com/LiaWongOSINT/status/1577209925255561216 https://twitter.com/LiaWongOSINT/status/1577209925255561216

10 points by sizzle 4y ago

Albeit that would be the way to end all wars. As humans cannot fight against superior robots. So all wars will become drone wars. And eventually all parties realize why waste time to build real robots, we can do it in CS:GO.

ddingus 4y ago

This feels like a very significant, early time. Most of our future with robots is yet to come. The concern over weaponized robotics is as valid as it is growing in light of very rapid tech advancement. In our time right now, the line between lower tech many of us call machines and robots is increasingly unclear. Eg: When is a drone a robot? This move may be looked back upon as an early expression of what will become a profound divide among people.

natch 4y ago

Had to check for weasel words. (Not that it matters because companies can always change things.) Didn’t take long to spot the loophole: >The firms pledged not to weaponize their "advanced-mobility general-purpose robots" So, this only applies to general-purpose robots. Not to mention that they are just saying they won’t do the weaponization themselves (let third parties and customers do it)… unless it’s a specific-purpose robot, then they are free to do it themselves. Really, who falls for this stuff?

chasd00 4y ago
Wouldn’t an armed robot by default not be “general purpose”?
22c 4y ago
Not to mention there doesn't seem to be a lot stopping these robots from being customised by the purchaser. I don't think there would be much in the way of a military contractor getting their hands on these and strapping a glock to it. eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rliFQ0qyAM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rliFQ0qyAM but with a much higher budget and not just for fun.

rapjr9 4y ago

The US and other militaries have been trying out autonomous killer robots for a decade or more. Some types of missiles, once launched, are completely autonomous and will choose a target. Do a search on "loyal wingman", these are unmanned drones that fly alongside a jet fighter and can be tasked to do things, in some cases autonomously. Anybody can buy a Boston Dynamics robot and retrofit it with weapons. It's good they are making a statement, but a lot more is needed if we really want to stop autonomous weaponized robots because they are already here.

tzm 4y ago

Meanwhile in China: https://twitter.com/LiaWongOSINT/status/1577209925255561216 https://twitter.com/LiaWongOSINT/status/1577209925255561216